92 SC questions

hopefully I get a better response here than at the last forum I asked these(none):

I have a few questions regarding my 92 SC.

The first of which is if there are any aftermarket or GMPP products available for the 3.3 engine.

My next one is tougher. does anyone know the part number for the AC system part at the front of the engine bay. The metal hose with the electronic lead and the part to charge the system. I need a new one becuase the guy who fixed the car to sell it made the careless mistake to pull out the electronic lead and then try and fix it with JB weld. It won't hold if I tried to charge the system so I need a new one. I'm not gonna go through another summer without AC.

When he pulled out the engine he failed to realize that the wires for the front two struts were in the way. one side was soldered back on and the other required a replacement because they broke too close to the sensor/harness to be soldered back on. however the problem remains that the lights for the electronic ride control are always on. and that SOFT is the seting illuminated the brightest. It also will not change the brightest to the other settings when I switch it to either AUTO or SPORT.

When I have the padal into the firewall it won't shift out of first unless I back off. I know this because it's bounced off the rev limiter before.(I cringe every time it happens)

Finally, does anybody know if a 3.2 SHO motor and tranny can be stuffed under the hood?

thanks

There would be very few aftermarket parts.. youd have to research alot, but I would bet you could get things like rockers, pushrods etc, those ign. coils can replaced with MSD units, find what parts could fit from the newer 3100/3400 like udp, wires etc, your not going to find much, the 3.3 isnt really a perf. motor.

Your honest best bet for hp gain is to swap out that engine and trans. The 3100 would fit in, better yet the 185hp 3400 would fit or a HO/w41 quad 4, any of these is a much better choice for speed, put a 5 speed in as well and you will have a much quicker car. Alot of the Beretta people doing/completed the 3400 swap it would basically the same swap for your Achieva, when done they run low to mid 14s on the auto trans. and totally stock. Get real brave and try a 3800 supercharged swap, one person has done this in a Beretta, took them a long time and alot of money, Another candidate is the Caddy 4.9 V8, it was a fwd V8 motor w/auto trans in early the 90s, it will fit also(easier than the SC 3800 even)with time, money and hardwork, though limited once in like your 3.3L it isnt a perf. motor, limited aftermarket, but its tq and hp #'s are good for being in such a little car.

The part for your AC you could probably get at a parts store, or the dealer.. or pick one out of a junkyard, a variety of GM cars probably use the same hose.

The adj. susp. on the sc and scx is the coolest feature! I would say since you have fixed the wiring at the struts follow it and see if another problem can be found, who knows what was pulled on, and just because it broke at the strut doesnt mean the rest of the wiring is intact, can you feel the susp. change even though the switch isnt lighting up correctly?

3.2 ford motor would probably fit, you can do anything with alot of money, time and patience, but there are easier swaps for your Achieva.

It feels like it is working, but I'm thinking there is probably a short somewhere or it is in fact loose or broken somewhere else. does the 3.4 have a larger aftermarket? stroker kits, heads, etc.? I'm trying to avoid 3.1s at all costs since they seem to have troubles with bad lower intake manifold gaskets leaking.

The SHO swap is my dream but going from a ford into a GM isn't as feasible or cheap as a GM to GM swap. the only reason it appeals to me is just for the secondaries.

I'll just have to grab the guy from the parts dept. point at the part in the car and say, "I need one of those." most fo the HVAC lines in the car are motor specific.

The 3.3 is based on the 3800, so that engine could be swapped in with relatively no mods. Any performance parts intended for a Vin-L 3800 should also be able to fit your car (with minor fabrication to fit in an N-body).

The Ford 3.2 SHO engine is a problematic, tempermental POS that you wouldn't want to get involved in. You'd be better off with GM's problematic, tempermental 3.4 DOHC engine if whiz-bang DOHC's are your thing.

3800 and 3.4 dohc mount totally differant though, youll have to make a totally new upper radiator support for the 3800 or 3.4 to mount there, youll have to remove the a/c fan blower box, and not only move the radiator forward, but swap the fan to be on the other side of the rad. also since the 3800 and 3.4 are alot wider than the 4cyls, 3100, 3.3, or 3400.

The 3800 and 3.4 dohc engines can fit but require the most work to actually get in, I know of one 3800sc Beretta it took the guy a very long time to finish, and there is a guy doing the 3.4 dohc swap in a Beretta now, unsure if he has completed it or not.

Try the GM V6 message boards, those guys could probably give the most help, I know more about the 4 cyls personally and just keep track of some of the V6 stuff.

I've heard that changing the plugs on the rear bank is a bitch with the 3.4s though.